Running with the Pack...

My, my... It's been a while since I've done any writing, but it's been a busy several weeks around here. School's back in session, which for us, means full-time learning. Our daughter schools from home via the internet, through the public school system, so we intersperse puppy training with 1st grade lessons. Samantha (our 6 year old) wants to be a dog trainer, among other things, and watches with rapt attention as we work with the boys, trying hard to imitate what we do; often to everyone's frustration.

As Freedom finished up all his shots in August, he's been having many great adventures, including a road trip to Southern Oregon and Crater Lake, where we hiked a bit and saw the sites, and he bonded a bit with his two-legged sister in the back of the car.

 

Once home, we set out on a purposeful journey of exploring the trails behind our new apartment complex, which backs up to one of the most beautiful urban state parks you can imagine (I thought it was just a tiny beach state park when we moved here, until I got to hike in it!). Freedom and I spent a few hours climbing around the park, exploring streams and trails, coming home happy and tired. We tried the trail again the next day with the whole family, getting turned around on the trail, and ending up completely lost; our 3 mile fun of the day before turning into an 11 or more tour of misery! But, Freedom and Tardis took it like troopers, not complaining in the least, until near the end, when Freedom finally laid down, and begged for me to take his backpack off, poor guy.

Yes, Freedom and I are now working with a small backpack. It's not a service vest of any kind, just a simple small sized backpack that I picked up at the local pet store to help him grow accustomed to carrying the weight when we walk, which he's been doing great with. It helps him focus (we pack a roll of poop bags in each side to balance it out), and gets him used to "play" walks in the park, versus "work" walks, where he needs to stay close to me and ignore other dogs and humans. He's still young, so this is very much a work in progress.

The dog park has become a huge fascination for Freedom. Tardis has just completed his shots this past week, and of course it not only rained all weekend, just when he was released to go to the park, but I've been dealing with bronchitis trying to become pneumonia, so no dog park for us just yet. Hoping to take him for his first trip tomorrow. Otherwise, Freedom hears the words "Dog Park" and comes completely unglued... We simply cannot get to the door and into the car fast enough for his liking. Even though he still carries some of his fear of larger dogs, he's learning to get past it, and loves to run with everyone at the park, regardless of size; it's becoming more about just being a dog, and having fun sniffing and socializing with everyone, human and canine, than caring about size.

Tardis, of course, having been left behind every time we go, always goes nuts sniffing Freedom from one end to the other trying to figure out all the strange smells covering his pack brother when we come home. Just wait, kiddo, your day's coming....

In other news, Mom has added a new addition to her pack. While this is good news for both her and the dog, it's a harsh reminder of why it's so important to think about rescuing before you buy that darling puppy at the pet store. Rose is a sweet, lovely 4 year old red and white American Cocker Spaniel who is very shy and quiet, and came to Mom in dire conditions.

 A huge "thank you" to Ginger's Pet Rescue, for saving this lovely dog from her disastrous conditions as a back-yard breeder.  For such a young dog, Rose has a long way to go to a perfect bill of health (she's already lost at least one tooth, and has had untold numbers of litters judging from her body condition, from what Mom's vet, and her medical records say). She loves Mom, though, and sticks to her like glue. If you can, please consider helping Ginger's Rescue financially, or in some other way. This is a great cause, and she does so much with her team to help dogs who are literally at death's door. As for Rose's take on all the youngsters in the pack? A soft growl and a gentle snap to the nose usually is all it takes from this experienced mother to tell these young whipper-snappers to cool it (and amazingly, they shut up, lay down, and go to sleep, or at least leave her alone!).

(The whole pack crashed out on my couch Saturday... From left to right: Rose, Bella, Sparky, Tardis (on his back) and Freedom (on my lap))

In other news, if you're looking for a good dog-related book to keep you warm while your dog warms your toes this fall, check out this amazing read: A Dog's Purpose by W. Bruce Cameron. This is a must read for any dog owner, anyone who's thinking of owning a dog, or anyone who wishes they could own a dog. Okay, you could even read it if you own cats (as there's some really funny stuff in there about cats, from a dog's perspective). I cried, laughed, and sometimes, did a little of both at the same time, and hugged my own dog fiercely while reading some of the harder parts to digest. But what the book did to me, was made me look a little differently at how I interact with my own canine.

Anyway, it's getting late here on the West Coast (that's on the left side of the map for those of you, like me, who are geographically-challenged!), so I'm going to head off to find some other great adventure for my dog and I (most likely involving another great book and a blanket). Have a great adventure of your own!  Woof!

On Chewing Gum and Growing Pains...

It's been a rough week or so for us here with the boys; probably more for those with four legs than for those with two. It's got to be tough to be a puppy. Not only are you trying to figure out a whole new world with multitudes of smells, sounds, tastes, textures and rules, but your body is changing and growing. For many breeds, Cockers included, this means longer legs, big feet and floppy ears that get in the way when you're after that pesky housemate that won't leave you alone. Nothing ruins a good game of chase faster than stepping on your own ear while running around the corner on kitchen linoleum and sending yourself in a spinning slide across the floor.

Freedom and Tardis have had a bit of a rough week with struggling with changing bodies, learning rules for the new apartment, and figuring out... chewing gum. If you think it's obnoxious when you find it on the bottom of your shoe, or in your child's hair, try finding it in between your dog's rear foot pads! Freedom is still sporting some of the sticky goo as I've been unable to cut it all free. Getting in close to his large pad while he's growling and jumping around is tricky business, so we snip a little at a time, and it's getting out a little at a time. We also have an over-abundance of sticky oak leaves on the ground as fall sets in, and the boys love to pick them up. They stick to fur, feet, and noses, making our frequent walks a hoot as we try to free the icky leaves from the boys' fur. Of course, the boys are boys, and don't learn. They still chase every leaf they see (although they are starting to find the non-sticky leaves more fascinating, thank heaven!).

A blessing has come with the new apartment: lots and lots of other dogs. Freedom, as I think I've mentioned, has a terrible fear of larger dogs. Just seeing them from across the parking lot results in screaming and panic on his part. But thanks to seeing the variety of large dogs here at the new complex, and a few patient and understanding owners and curious, playful canines that we've met, Freedom is starting to learn that not all dogs are scary. He's even learning to approach, cautiously, and greet politely when he sees a large dog, without raising a big fuss. It's taken a lot of work, and Tardis always ends up looking at Freedom like he's lost his mind (probably not far from the truth) as Tardis will run up to every dog he sees, jump and want to play, regardless of the dog's interest in him. But with patience, and a lot of work introducing Freedom to dogs by hand (introducing him rear-end first, holding him on my lap, then setting him down and letting him watch me pet the larger dog and pet him at the same time, refusing to let him hide behind me), he's getting better. We aren't to a point of letting him meet them in a stressful situation yet (a pet store, or the vet's office, although the latter is far easier on him than the former), but I think we can get there. One of our local pet stores has a free puppy play time that we try to get the boys to for some socialization. So far, we've struck out and missed one, and were the only ones there for the other. *sigh* Oh, well! That's the way the doggie treat crumbles some days!

Just like babies, puppies have growth spurts, and Freedom is more noticeable in his changes when he's not feeling so great. His eating has been slightly off the past few days- he has been eating more, just in smaller, more frequent meals- he sleeps more, with more intense activity when he is awake, and he's grumpy when he gets tired. It's been weeks since he's played the growly, nasty pup when we pick him up at bedtime, but here he is, doing that routine all over again. But when he realizes that it's just us, he snuggles in close, and tries to fall asleep. He's far more clingy than he's ever been, wanting to be near me no matter where I am; and he's tipping the scales at 8.5 pounds with a sudden gain in weight that's been slow in coming. It reminds me a great deal of the changes the kids went through when their bodies would experience sudden growth spurts and they would hurt, eat and sleep and be cranky. Best treatment I found was to just leave them be and let them get their rest. So, Freedom is spending a good part of his day sleeping under my desk, with a good mile-long walk in the middle of the day to burn off energy (and some short walks after meals and any other times the boys need to get excess work in before they get into trouble...).

Tardis is growing far more steadily, and since he's more playful, more aggressive in his play and sleeps more, he's harder to tell when there's a growth spurt happening. But alas, his height is showing, he's slimming down, and his legs are stretching. He's showing his Cocker side in his face, with his long, spindly legs showing his Cavalier side. While still trying to catch Freedom in height, he outweighs his older pack-mate by at least a full pound. He's far more hard-headed when it comes to training, but is more independent about sleeping. With 5 weeks between them in age, though, we'll see what Tardis does as he approaches Freedom's age.

One decision has been made this week, however. Freedom and Tardis have officially begun their training as service dogs. Well, officially as they can. We've got the access test standards, and we're working on that, with obedience work happening during the day as well. We've found a trainer to work with who's AKC certified to do our Good Citizenship tests and can help us with the access evaluation as well, and she trains service and therapy dogs. As we take this next step, it's both exciting and a bit scary, but it will be very worth it.

When the Mundane Becomes Special

Feeding our dogs can become such a chore sometimes, can't it? So much so, that we assign it to the kids, supposedly to "teach them responsibility". Sometimes, I think, though, that it's just because we're so busy with everything else in our lives that we just don't want that one extra thing in our day.

Brian and I rarely put stock in celebrities, simply because more often than not, they are all glam and hype, and less actual substance. So it's somewhat surprising that when we have a question about dog training and raising, we turn to Cesar Millan, The Dog Whisperer, or one of Cesar's many books or his website. Fact is, though, his methods work, when applied properly. When it was time to bring Freedom home, I went to the library, and picked up a copy of his book Raising the Perfect Dog, and read it cover to cover. Soon, it will become a permanent part of my library, as it covers the first 2 years of a dog's life, and I'll be referring to it over and over.

I mention Mr. Millan, because something I've seen on his show more than once that strikes more deeply each time I've seen it mentioned is the concept of exercise/discipline/affection. It's the third part of that concept that touched me deeply today with the dogs when I woke up feeling terrible, my depression taking not just an emotional, but a physical toll on me.

Mr. Millan talks about the feeding ritual as a way of showing your dogs affection. He prepares his packs' meals by hand, mixing the dry kibble with some canned food (something we do here at home as well) while the dogs wait quietly for their meal (yes, this is possible, even with 8 week old pups-they will learn to wait very quickly when the behavior is modeled and expected!). He talks about projecting the love he feels for his dogs while preparing these meals. When was the last time you prepared any meal, for animal or human family member, with thoughts of love for the individual(s) that you're preparing it for? Or do you habitually rush through the process, tossing the food into the bowl, or onto to the plate, and setting it in front of the recipient without further thought?

Brian and I have made it a ritual to lovingly prepare the dogs' meals by hand while they wait, offering the hand that mixed the bowl to both dogs to lick clean. It's a shared moment that is incomparable and indescribable. This is their payday for their 24/7 work, and their thanks for the love we give them. There is no rush in the licking, and they gently step away when they're ready for the real meal. And we can accomplish this step with all four dogs when we're with Mom's pack as well. I wish I had enough hands to get a point-of-view snapshot of all four dogs happily cleaning my fingers after mixing a meal. Even shy and reserved Bella will come up and have a few tastes before sliding away to her bed.

This morning, however, I woke up feeling terrible, both mentally and physically. For those who are fortunate enough to have never dealt with severe depression, it's not something that's all in one's head, and it's not just a "down" feeling that goes away with a few jokes, unfortunately. It's a chemical imbalance in the brain, and it causes a number of symptoms which include emotional, cognitive and physical issues. For me, I woke up with a terrible headache, and my legs were stiff and sore. Both dogs took their needed potty breaks, then gracefully crawled back into bed with us, and snuggled with me until I finally was able to pull myself out of bed to get their breakfast while Brian did outdoor potty trip duty, as my body wasn't up to the trip down the stairs just yet. Hanging out in bed more or less quietly for almost 3 hours is a lot to ask of any puppy 14 or 9 weeks, but to have them do it voluntarily, is an amazing gift that wasn't lost on me. Needless to say, there was a lot of love and appreciation in their kibble this morning!

Freedom wasn't done, though. After his breakfast was eaten, he whined until I came and got him, and he napped on my lap for another 4 or 5 hours until lunch time. He's been my velcro dog all day long, at least until I was stable enough to get around a little better. On our walks, he's been forgiving of my slowness when my legs get tired faster than usual, and puts up with me, and he's reserved his bad-boy act for his kitchen romps with Tardis (who's been a little less forgiving, but is still looking at me as though trying to figure out what's wrong with me today).

All this got me thinking, though, about how we show our affection to those around us. We're told that we shouldn't use food to show affection to our kids, and to an extent, I think that's true. We don't need to buy our kids' love with sweets and junk food, or toys and games. But we can show our kids, our pets, and our families that we love them by taking the time to really shower them with love by thoughtfully preparing nutritious meals, and taking time away from our electronic, hurried lives to spend a bit of time playing and exercising with them.

After all, if you exercise the body and mind, have the discipline to maintain your rules, boundaries, limitations and rituals, you'll have more affection flowing both directions in the relationship than you know what to do with!

Go enjoy a little time with your two and four legged loved ones, and be blessed! Thanks for reading.

Hail, Hail, the Gang's All Here!

It's been an on and off kind of day. And I'll carefully avoid my soapbox, as I can easily hop up on it, and spend the next several hours ranting about slime-balls who perpetuate fraud without scrupals, and make life difficult for others who are trying to make it through life as best they can with real difficulty. See, there's this guy who's apparently in Seattle, selling service dog vests on e-Bay, with part of his advertisement saying something to the effect of "Take your beloved pet shopping with you. You may have to play blind or stupid, but hey, you love your pet, right?" Needless to say, that got my ire up, and I spent some time this morning fixated on it, and my day was a bit of a roller coaster, thanks to the boys, who try so very hard to make us laugh.

So, rather than ruminating on all the jerks in the world, I thought perhaps I'd spend some time writing about our sweet boys, and what makes each of them special. Much like people, dogs have individual personalities, and communicate with their own vocabulary and body language (so there all you science-geek doctoral types out there who think that dogs are lower life forms who aren't intelligent enough to communicate!). They each have their own individual style of play, eating, sleeping, and working.

You've met Freedom before. He's growing up, and has had his "big boy" hair cut already. He's also maturing mentally very fast, and is starting to reason through challenges, and figures out how to get to what he wants when there's an obstacle in his way, including playing to Mom and Dad's sympathies when nothing else seems to be working for him. He's a willing worker, and has been since he came home just shy of 6 weeks old. He still alerts to Brian's blood sugar highs in the middle of the night by going straight to Brian's mouth, and laying down, refusing to go to his crate until Brian has checked his sugars. One night recently, Freedom refused to go to bed at all, sleeping at the foot of the bed the entire night. It's the only time he's done that, and the only thing we can point to, is that Bri's blood sugars were high that particular evening when we went to bed. He's not repeated the behavior since.

Freedom is still very fearful of other dogs outside of Mom's pack, and the pack of dogs next door to Mom. If it walks on 4 legs, you can bet he'll be whining and crying like someone's got him by the throat, even if said other dog is still 100 feet away. We're working on this, slowly, and we've now met 2 or 3 other dogs that Freedom has gotten nose to nose with. Anything else, person, wheel-chair, car, basketball, scooter, bike, R/C airplane, you name it, he'll walk by, or greet happily and without hesitation, but you can forget about other dogs. This is just the way my sensitive little guy is, and it's something we have to work on.

He is truly a Cocker Spaniel. Leaves, pine cones, sticks... they simply aren't safe from the retrieving mouth of my little black puppy. Flowers are his absolute, all time favorite thing to carry around for Mommy. A few times now, I've caught him walking around, blossom gently tucked between lower and upper lips just below his nose, with just the bloom sticking out, and on two occasions, while playing fetch outside, he's left the ball behind, to bring me a flower from the grass instead. I remember each of my kids doing this for the first time, but I never thought my dog would do that! Freedom's great on walks, other than when that perfect leaf is on the sidewalk, and is just too much temptation for a 13 week old pup... I've had to correct him more than once, put him in a down position, and make him leave the leaf alone. Most of the time, though, we can just see it coming, and remind him to "leave it" and he can walk by with just a longing glance (if you've ever dealt with a Cocker, you know they are born with that look mastered).

A perfect gentleman, Freedom has taken to being the defender of his beloved Bella. Even if she can't stand him anymore because he's not so tiny, he'll defend her when play gets too rough and she can't get away fast enough because of her stiff legs. Little as he is, he'll brace himself in the path of Sparky the 20 pound freight train, and growl and bark, warning the bigger pup to chill out. He's also been seen laying down along her back when she's stiff. She'll tolerate him then, and I've wondered if perhaps he's warming her up; don't know if that's his intent, or if that's why she's letting him lay there, but it's one of those moments that leave you wondering. He relates to her in an entirely different way than he does the other two dogs in our pack, whether due to age, gender, status, or a combination of the above, I don't know. But it is amazing to watch.

Tall and slender, Freedom may be the lighter of the boys, and he takes his sweet time eating, but don't mistake him for a pushover at the dinner bowl. Mealtimes are generally supervised (at least until Tardis is done eating), so that we know who's done eating. Freedom doesn't let any other dog near his bowl, except of course, the lovely Miss Bella (pictured below), who gets the privilege of being allowed to sit right beside him while he eats, and is allowed the choice bits that he pulls out and drops on the floor at her feet (any other dog that close would get snapped at and run out of the room). He'll also willingly give her his treats, something that he won't do with any of the other dogs.

Let's see... my little guy is also a snuggler. Work is 24/7 for him, so he'll take play and cuddles 24/7 as well. After early morning potty break, he knows he gets to come to bed with us, if he'd like (and sometimes, he'd prefer to go back to his own bed, which is fine), and there are times he knows I need a rest, or just time to sit quietly with him. He will raise a fuss when he thinks I need a break, and will only quiet down when I sit or lay down with him, and he defends those quiet times (today during a nap, he actually jumped up and barked at a guy yelling downstairs from our balcony until I told him it was okay for him to lay back down and go to sleep). If you tell him it's time for a walk, he's ready with wagging tail and a back side plopped on the ground (followed by a whole body wiggling and jumping up to get at the leash-a bad habit we're trying to break before it gets ingrained-but I appreciate his enthusiasm!).

Meet Tardis, the newest member of our pack. He will be 9 weeks old tomorrow, and is a mix of American Cocker Spaniel and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. He rounds out the pack nicely, but is the polar opposite of Freedom in many ways. Don't get me wrong, I love Tardis just as much... he's a clown!

Tardis wakes up ready to do four things: play, eat, potty and sleep, and not necessarily in that order. He is about a half pound heavier than Freedom, and 1-2 inches shorter. He plays hard, snores like a buzz saw (we call it his impersonation of deforestation), chows heartily, defers to his older pack-mate in all things, and detests walks.

He wakes up ready to play, forget that cuddling thing. "Let me up on that bed, so I can pull Freedom's ear!" seems to be his battle cry every morning, followed by "Oh, my goodness! I've got to go potty right now!!!" Amazingly, all this bundled energy gets contained into a very polite package while meals are prepared for the dogs, and he waits quietly, right up until permission is granted for the dogs to eat; then it's a race to the finish for this little guy. One-half of a cup of dry food mixed with a teaspoon of canned food is gone in 5 minutes flat, if not less, and his first thought is to turn around, and plunk down, waiting for Freedom to walk away from his bowl (he learned fast to wait at a safe distance).

If you ask Brian, he'd tell you that walks with Tardis are an exercise in patience, as Tardis doesn't always approve of his post-meal exercise. In fact, he makes his protests clear when he flops down, spreads out all four legs in opposing directions, and does a very convincing impression of a dust mop! He is getting better about walking, though, I think. Brian is a better judge of that, though, as he's the one on the other end of the leash more often than not, other than when I'm taking the boys down to the potty stations for a quick pre-meal trip.

If Freedom is a willing learner and worker, Tardis takes a little more convincing, but learns a lesson thoroughly. Tardis took several days to learn that his crate was a good place to crash, and wasn't a prison or a punishment, and now (mostly) he goes willingly after walks, and crashes out for hours at a time. Tardis is completely captivated by anything tasty smelling- have food, will listen. He's doing excellent with his commands as he and Freedom demonstrated for a potential trainer today.

Back in the house, though, Tardis is all about the toys. Whether they bounce, roll, can be chewed on or pushed, he's all over them; and when the toys get boring, there's always that fuzzy buddy that can be bounced, rolled, chewed on and pushed. And the best part about that? Freedom bounces, rolls, chews and pushes back! Their play is always supervised, because, as puppies, they can quickly become too rough and excited, and what was fun 5 seconds ago, can become aggression and a fight in a heartbeat. Sure, there's lots of growling, and some barking, and a strange sound known to Cocker Spaniel breeders as "purring" that sounds something like part growl, part whine, part bark and part howl. Unless you've ever heard it, it's rather hard to describe the warbling, odd sound that comes out.

If Freedom is an explorer/adventurer, then Tardis is the vacation guru. While outside, Freedom will be checking out every leaf and blade of grass, and Tardis is stretched full length on the lawn, watching. He does have moments, though, and we get our entertainment out of it, as he stalks whatever has his interest like a cat, creeping up slowly, crouched down low before plowing into whatever the victim is. In that regard, Tardis is more like a tank than anything else. He's built low to the ground and wide, and has a tendency to just plow his way through anyone and anything in his way--thank heaven he's only 7 and a half pounds, with an expected full-size weight of only 25-30 pounds, and not something like 70-100!

In the end, the guys make us laugh, and they challenge us to think about our actions. They live in the moment, and enjoy everything around them. They make us get up in the morning, eat 3 times a day, and get exercise. We get out, we meet other people, and we have to get away from the computers. And we get rest when we need it. Thank heaven for dogs!

Updates Aplenty!

No, we haven't fallen off the face of the earth, it just seems like it. We got moved out of the apartment that wanted Freedom to become the invisible dog, and finally got moved into our new apartment this week. A misunderstanding with our internet provider left us with no 'net access until today, so we're catching up with everyone, including getting the new address out to magazines, distant relations (in other words, non-parent relations *grins*), and trying desperately to get two dogs settled back into a routine that they had only just settled into to begin with.

Yes, I mentioned two dogs. Tardis did come home on the 22nd, and he's fit into the pack beautifully, if not in a brotherly kind of way. And he and Freedom are moving into a more intense period of training now that they are both settling in and learning the ropes, including their first trip to the hospital for Brian's endocrinology appointment this morning.

They are adjusting nicely, but there are challenges, and there is much to update our readers on, and far too much to try to cram into one entry. It's been an incredibly long week, and my anxiety levels have been draining me to no end (and my doctor and I made an adjustment to my meds at my last visit, which has thrown things into a further tailspin, on top of the new surroundings, and the disturbance in routine, etc.). So, as I'm about at the end of my energy reserve, I'll call this good for tonight, and will spend the next few nights picking apart the puppies development over the last few weeks in topics, rather than a day-by-day approach.

Freedom goes to his first puppy-play-date tomorrow outside of our own pack, and we'll be meeting a professional trainer in the process as we start narrowing down options for the professional guidance of these two little guys, and Sunday, they go for professional portraits. Mom would like to see us have at least one shot with Brian and I in the picture (FYI, I'm not all that fond of being in front of cameras).  It's been a busy week, and it looks like it'll be an even busier weekend! Enjoy yours, and we'll be seeing you here in the blog!

What Would Freedom Say?

Honestly, I'm not sure I'd want to know right now. Thankfully, he's finally crashed out by my desk, laid out on his side, rope bone clasped between his front teeth with the other end laid between outstretched paws. It's the first time this evening he's really relaxed because he's worn out, and he's barely touched dinner.

Truth be told, I feel for the little guy. Our house is in upheaval as the move nears (we pack the truck day after tomorrow), and I'm restless and anxious, as I am just before every move. I'm sure Freedom's picking up on that, and it's not helping the anxiety that every animal feels when their family and home goes through this process. He's been whiny and restless himself, and has been off his feed, despite a play date with Sparky and Bella (two actually) this past weekend. While he enjoyed the playtime, he's been more aggressive than usual, and isn't eating as well as he normally does.

Don't worry, he's still gaining weight (he's at over 6 pounds now, give or take a few ounces from day to day), plays for short bursts, drinks, eats, pees and poos as he should). He's just not his normal happy-go-lucky self. He can't stand for me to leave his sight, and even if I am in sight, if I'm packing a box, he's whining and carrying on like the world's coming to an end.

So, it's pack a box, get him to settle down on the floor, then pick him up and love on him for 20 minutes or so, play for a few with him, let him rest for a bit under my desk, sneak off to pack another box (lather, rinse, repeat). Tomorrow, will be the hardest. It'll be the last of the boxes, taking apart the bedroom furniture, and getting things lined up for a speedy exit to the truck. Wednesday is an extremely busy day for us. Our schedule looks something like this:

Wake up, feed entire pack (2 humans plus 1 dog), shower and groom dog. Be out of house no later than 8 a.m.
Hit the bank, get checks for Apartment and breeder.
Drive up to the apartment, drop off deposit, then go to vet's for Freedom's shots and checkup.
Drive back down to old neighborhood, get Uhaul truck and pizza for friends helping with move.
Start loading truck. Do as much as possible, as quickly as possible.
Go to my doctor appointment in the afternoon around 3:30 while hubby finishes with truck.
Finish apartment cleaning, head north to unload truck at storage unit and meet Mom, so we can go back  down south to get our car and the groceries and the stuff that goes to Mom's house for the next 2 weeks.
Turn in keys and head to Mom's.

It makes for a long day, but it'll be worth it to be in a place where Freedom has space to walk safely on a leash, play with other dogs, and be a dog. In addition, we got the great news that Tardis, Brian's diabetic service puppy, will be ready to come home on Friday! We've talked to Mom, and she's okay with having an additional pup in the house, so, here we go!

We were able to pick up some additional supplies for the second puppy this week, so we've got the leash and collar, and a few additional toys and chews for the youngest member of the pack as soon as he arrives. Freedom and Sparky will be heading up with us, and we'll get family photos of the puppies with their moms and dads, and Tardis will have a crate buddy to ride home with.

In mid-August, we'll be looking at putting Freedom into his first puppy class, and working more intensively with him. Our new place has lots of sidewalks to take the pups on, and once they have their rabies shots, and are cleared by the vet, our complex backs up to the trailhead of a state beach. Lots of walking for these guys for strong bodies and strong minds to endure the work that's been laid out for them.

In the meanwhile, we're enduring Freedom's willful attempts to deal with the turmoil in our house. Biting and snarling his way around naptimes has become the norm. Not that he's become aggressive, he's just frustrated and unsure of what's going on, and there's no real way to tell him that it's going to be okay. We just engage him when we can outside with his ball or his rubber bone/barbell and get him worn out the best we can, and try to relax him as well as possible in between box packing sessions. Tomorrow will be difficult, but maybe with some calm energy and calm music, we'll survive.

It'll most likely be a few days before I write again. Thank you to all who are reading and recommending this to friends. Your support is very much appreciated.

Things I've Learned From the Dogs....

We may train dogs to do what we would like them to do, but more often than not, they can teach us valuable lessons in life and love. Here's just a few of the lessons the dogs in my life have taught me:

Even when you're grumpy, a bunch of babies around you, can make your day.

A good run in the park makes everything better...

Only eat when you're hungry, and when you're full, walk away from your dish.

Cuddles cure loneliness.

Sometimes, you just have to chew on a problem for a bit, until it's solved.

Or, just sleep on it a bit...

Go for a walk, or just lay in the grass when inside is just too boring.

Nothing beats a good belly rub.

Wag your tail, bark less, growl only when you truly mean it, and lick liberally. Love unconditionally.

What happened in the past means nothing in the present. Live in the NOW.

If it doesn't love you and you can't eat it or play with it... piss on it and walk away.

Check everyone out. If they don't feel right, move away quickly without a fuss.

Dogs don't gossip. They take everyone at face value in the here and now. If someone isn't in the right frame of mind right now, they give that someone the opportunity to get there, and then they walk away. Think about how much less drama we'd have in our lives if we lived like that.

The pack sticks together, always. There is no stronger bond than that of a balanced, bonded pack.

Move when you have energy, or you'll get frustrated. Sleep when you're tired, or you'll get grumpy. Play often, have a purpose, love much, know who's in charge.

Start and end every day with a kiss and a ritual.